Why is the drinking age 21?

[zixxer]

Everyone that I know that were irresponsible idiots at 18 are just as irresponsible at 21.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

because They said so...

 

[Anubis]

because the guberment says it is

 

[PunDogg]

Originally posted by: Anubis
because the guberment says it is

all hail the guberment

 

[purbeast0]

there should be no drinking age like in latin countries. they just start drinking when they are old enough. and the parents don't care. they learn to drink responsibly though. here, people just start drinking because they aren't supposed to, and thats why people are irrisponsible.

thats atleast part of it, not all of it.

 

[Chunkee]

Originally posted by: armatron
Everyone that I know that were irresponsible idiots at 18 are just as irresponsible at 21.

at 18 you can join the military and kill someone and vote, and smoke, but no drinking

its like paying the adult price at 12 for the movie, but you cannot see the adult movie

)#*$)#($*_#)$ legislators

 

[trilks]

I'd like to know how they came about the age of 21. Why not 20, or 22?

 

[Amused]

The nanny-staters got their way.

 

[Shelly21]

I think if you're old enough to die for this country, you should be old enough to drink.

 

[Ranger X]

Drinking age just about anywhere outside the U.S. is under 21. I don't think there is an explanation of why they picked 21 other than people in the past all agreed that that's the age when people are "responsible" enough to handle alcohol.

I don't know many people who've actually waited until they're 21 to drink.

 

[JDub02]

I think it should be 21. But I also think smoking, voting, military service, etc. should be 21. 99% of kids coming out of high school just aren't mature enough to handle the responsibility

 

[mchammer187]

i really dont know why

no valid reason as far as i can see

 

[virtueixi]

The age limit is a state thing. It actually used to be 18 in some states, but ppl from the other states would drive drunk on their trip home from out of state bars. So all states changed it.

 

[mchammer187]

Originally posted by: JDub02
I think it should be 21. But I also think smoking, voting, military service, etc. should be 21. 99% of kids coming out of high school just aren't mature enough to handle the responsibility

hmm

you realize that not everyone goes to college right

if you are not considered an adult at 18 what are you gonna do

live at home and wait 3 years to get a job / join the military / live on your own

 

[Bateluer]

Alcohol can sersiously damaged the livers and brains of developing bodies. At 18 or 21, the human body is more or less physically mature, and thus the potential damage to a liver or the brain cells is minimized. If, say a 12 year old, began binge drinking, they'd likely have major liver disease before they even turned the legal drinking age. Developing livers are not prepared to remove the toxic alcohol from the bloodsteam yet. And we definitely don't seen any young'uns with fewer brain cells then we already do.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
Alcohol can sersiously damaged the livers and brains of developing bodies. At 18 or 21, the human body is more or less physically mature, and thus the potential damage to a liver or the brain cells is minimized. If, say a 12 year old, began binge drinking, they'd likely have major liver disease before they even turned the legal drinking age. Developing livers are not prepared to remove the toxic alcohol from the bloodsteam yet. And we definitely don't seen any young'uns with fewer brain cells then we already do.

I dunno. I started binge drinking when I was 15, and my liver is just fine.

My brain is another story...

 

[Tremulant]

Government "forced" the drinking age to be 21. If states didn't raise the age to 21, then they wouldn't get government money for roads.


Why 21? Dunno.

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Bateluer
Alcohol can sersiously damaged the livers and brains of developing bodies. At 18 or 21, the human body is more or less physically mature, and thus the potential damage to a liver or the brain cells is minimized. If, say a 12 year old, began binge drinking, they'd likely have major liver disease before they even turned the legal drinking age. Developing livers are not prepared to remove the toxic alcohol from the bloodsteam yet. And we definitely don't seen any young'uns with fewer brain cells then we already do.

I dunno. I started binge drinking when I was 15, and my liver is just fine.

My brain is another story...

There are exceptions to every rule.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: virtueixi
The age limit is a state thing. It actually used to be 18 in some states, but ppl from the other states would drive drunk on their trip home from out of state bars. So all states changed it.

you might want to do a little background check on why it actually changed from 18 to 21.

Its not that they were drunk driving home. some states didnt care about that. The fedral goverment forced the other states to take the 21 age limit.

personally if you are able to join the army then you should be able to drink.

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: Chunkee

Originally posted by: armatron
Everyone that I know that were irresponsible idiots at 18 are just as irresponsible at 21.

at 18 you can join the military and kill someone and vote, and smoke, but no drinking

its like paying the adult price at 12 for the movie, but you cannot see the adult movie

)#*$)#($*_#)$ legislators

From what I've heard if you're 18-20 and in the military, they'll serve you alcohol. ("They" being military drinking establishments, obviously civilian rules apply in civilian ones)

 

[Arkitech]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
Alcohol can sersiously damaged the livers and brains of developing bodies. At 18 or 21, the human body is more or less physically mature, and thus the potential damage to a liver or the brain cells is minimized. If, say a 12 year old, began binge drinking, they'd likely have major liver disease before they even turned the legal drinking age. Developing livers are not prepared to remove the toxic alcohol from the bloodsteam yet. And we definitely don't seen any young'uns with fewer brain cells then we already do.

damage only occurs if alcohol is abused, I hardly think a drink here and there would enough to damage someone's organs unless they had some type of unique medical condition

 

[JDub02]

Originally posted by: mchammer187

Originally posted by: JDub02
I think it should be 21. But I also think smoking, voting, military service, etc. should be 21. 99% of kids coming out of high school just aren't mature enough to handle the responsibility

hmm

you realize that not everyone goes to college right

if you are not considered an adult at 18 what are you gonna do

live at home and wait 3 years to get a job / join the military / live on your own

What does drinking have to do with working or not going to college?

I started working at 14. I didn't feel the need to drink. My brother didn't go to college .. he didn't feel the need to drink before he was 21. I don't get what you're saying.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
Alcohol can sersiously damaged the livers and brains of developing bodies. At 18 or 21, the human body is more or less physically mature, and thus the potential damage to a liver or the brain cells is minimized. If, say a 12 year old, began binge drinking, they'd likely have major liver disease before they even turned the legal drinking age. Developing livers are not prepared to remove the toxic alcohol from the bloodsteam yet. And we definitely don't seen any young'uns with fewer brain cells then we already do.

Yeah? well bullets can serously hurt the liver, brain etc in developing bodies also. BUT we don't tell 18 yr olds they can't join the military.

Not to mention smoking can damage the lungs etc.

 

[JDub02]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Bateluer
Alcohol can sersiously damaged the livers and brains of developing bodies. At 18 or 21, the human body is more or less physically mature, and thus the potential damage to a liver or the brain cells is minimized. If, say a 12 year old, began binge drinking, they'd likely have major liver disease before they even turned the legal drinking age. Developing livers are not prepared to remove the toxic alcohol from the bloodsteam yet. And we definitely don't seen any young'uns with fewer brain cells then we already do.

Yeah? well bullets can serously hurt the liver, brain etc in developing bodies also. BUT we don't tell 18 yr olds they can't join the military.

Not to mention smoking can damage the lungs etc.

But smoking doesn't impair your ability to drive. I knew a few 18 year olds who are dead now because of drinking and driving.

My cousin got slapped with a DUI when he was in high school. He was driving around with 4 people and a keg in the back of his pickup.

Kids are stupid enough on their own. They don't need alcohol to add to it.

 

[mchammer187]

Originally posted by: JDub02

Originally posted by: mchammer187

Originally posted by: JDub02
I think it should be 21. But I also think smoking, voting, military service, etc. should be 21. 99% of kids coming out of high school just aren't mature enough to handle the responsibility

hmm

you realize that not everyone goes to college right

if you are not considered an adult at 18 what are you gonna do

live at home and wait 3 years to get a job / join the military / live on your own

What does drinking have to do with working or not going to college?

I started working at 14. I didn't feel the need to drink. My brother didn't go to college .. he didn't feel the need to drink before he was 21. I don't get what you're saying.

well if you want to exclude 18 year olds from : smoking, voting, military service

i would consider them minors since they have the rights of a child if you take these away from them

i couldn't care less about drinking at 21 since i am 22 but i still see no reason to have a 21 legal drinking age